Canvas vs Connect

October 2nd, 2017

Many UBC students face frustration due to having their courses on two different learning platforms

As most know by now, UBC Okanagan is currently in the process of switching its learning platform over from Blackboard Connect to Canvas. This change is taking place over the course of this academic year, with the plan being for all courses to be using Canvas come fall of 2018. Due to this transitional year, some students still solely have courses on Connect, while some have most on Canvas, while others yet have a mix of both.

Taylor Chan, a student in her third year at UBC, has the aforementioned mix of both. She is currently pursuing a degree in Zoology, and she has two classes on Canvas, with another two on Connect. While she is familiar with Connect after using it for the last two years, she states that she “prefers Canvas to Connect,” due to the easy use and accessibility of the Canvas app. Chan enjoys the ease of being able to access her course grades and syllabus through the app so that she doesn’t have to constantly pull up a website if she wants to quickly check her grades or due dates.

“She finds it ‘odd to teach first years on Connect’ initially, due to the fact that after this academic year the rest of their schooling will take place on Canvas.”

However, Chan expressed frustration with having her classes split onto two platforms. Chan’s two first-year courses that she is taking for electives are both located on Connect. She states that she “understands having a transition year,” even though she finds it bothersome, but she doesn’t understand why her two first-year classes wouldn’t be on Canvas. She finds it “odd to teach first years on Connect” initially, due to the fact that after this academic year the rest of their schooling will take place on Canvas.

All in all, Chan is happy with the switch over to Canvas, but she looks forward to next year when all of her courses and course material will be located in the same place.